It's mawkish bollocks day on Facebook.

[Steve H]

I've just posted a photo of a white poppy and a quaker anti-war poster, in part as a counter to the usual mawkish, right-wing, jingoistic bollocks we usually get on this day, and was met with a predictable hail of rubbish asking how I dared disrespect those who died for our freedom. Well, if I've pissed off a few right-wing gammons, my day has not been entirely wasted.

[Robbie]

There's nothing at all wrong with what you posted, glad it was pictures - pleasant ones at that - and you didn't resort to verbals :-). Right now, you are the bigger person in that scenario.

(Further to mawkish bollocks day, the festival of remembrance features Jeff Goldblaum and his jazz band (he plays jazz piano), and Leona Lewis, both of whom I like. If I can just watch the bits they are in I'll be happy. I'd like a run down of what's on at different times because the whole show in one go is a bit much (for me).)

[Roses]

I've just posted a photo of a white poppy and a quaker anti-war poster, in part as a counter to the usual mawkish, right-wing, jingoistic bollocks we usually get on this day, and was met with a predictable hail of rubbish asking how I dared disrespect those who died for our freedom. Well, if I've pissed off a few right-wing gammons, my day has not been entirely wasted.

If you had fought for your country you might have a very different view.

A big THANK YOU to ALL those who lost their lives in the two world wars and all the conflicts since then.

[Walter]

I've just posted a photo of a white poppy and a quaker anti-war poster, in part as a counter to the usual mawkish, right-wing, jingoistic bollocks we usually get on this day, and was met with a predictable hail of rubbish asking how I dared disrespect those who died for our freedom. Well, if I've pissed off a few right-wing gammons, my day has not been entirely wasted.

you're a very big and brave man are'nt you firing off insults from behind your computer screen

[Roses]

you're a very big and brave man are'nt you firing off insults from behind your computer screen

I wonder if he would dare do so to one of the war veterans face to face?

[Nearly Sane]

I'm a pacifist who is friends with a number of war veterans. They are wide varied in their opinions on our current approach to remembrance. They all agree that we need to remember and mourn those murdered in war, just as I do. There isn't a good or bad view on that. It's simplistic to think we cannot disagree on some things yet still come together, indeed if we cannot then it's a betrayal of those who suffered and died.


For a time in the 80s, I only wore the white poppy, then I wore both, now and for sometime I have worn neither, though contributed to both. SteveH is right in that there are undoubtedly some rather mawkish decisions are made about poppies. The idea that everyone on TV has to be seen to be wearing one for what seems to be a growing amount of time. Also there is a lot of dubious unofficial merchandise making political points that I find meritorious such as one metal badge saying 'Try burning this'

I posted this last year just after attending the service in George Square in Glasgow where I embraced one of my best army friends. We disagree on our approach but we both know that our beliefs are founded on the idea of reducing wars and killing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B8wFuZJyMo

[Walter]

I wonder if he would dare do so to one of the war veterans face to face?

he's entitled to his own view but broadcasting it in real life could be dangerous to his health

[Nearly Sane]

he's entitled to his own view but broadcasting it in real life could be dangerous to his health

Because thugs might be violent against him? Then they are pissing on the memory of those who died, or were injurdd, or traumatised.

[Nearly Sane]

The poppy thread, of which we have 2 this year, is a hardy perennial, and when it arrives, I am always reminded of FastFlint's post on this that is enshrined in the Best Bits thread

http://www.religionethics.co.uk/index.php?topic=9431.0

[Walter]

Because thugs might be violent against him? Then they are pissing on the memory of those who died, or were injurdd, or traumatised.

yeah , whatever 😠

[Steve H]

If you had fought for your country you might have a very different view.

A big THANK YOU to ALL those who lost their lives in the two world wars and all the conflicts since then.

How predictable.

[Roses]

How predictable.

Yes Steve it is predictable, as predictable as your hateful comments.

[Steve H]

he's entitled to his own view but broadcasting it in real life could be dangerous to his health

Well, i've worn a white and a red poppy before now, and have lived to tell tha tale. I'm all for the two minutes' silence and proper respect; what \I object to is poppy-fascism, mawkishness, and attaching remembrance to right-wing politics.

[Steve H]

Yes Steve it is predictable, as predictable as your hateful comments.

What have I said that's hateful? Have I insulted the memory of the war-dead?

[Roses]

What have I said that's hateful? Have I insulted the memory of the war-dead?

The title of the thread and your opening post was hardly respectful of the war dead, imo.

[Aruntraveller]

If you had fought for your country you might have a very different view.

A big THANK YOU to ALL those who lost their lives in the two world wars and all the conflicts since then.

I have no strong feelings either way on this issue. I will however quote my father who fought in the 2nd World War. "I don't need a poppy to remember. They could try and find something to make me forget" (I may be paraphrasing slightly, it was a conversation held a long time ago in a pub long since gone)

[Walter]

Well, i've worn a white and a red poppy before now, and have lived to tell tha tale. I'm all for the two minutes' silence and proper respect; what \I object to is poppy-fascism, mawkishness, and attaching remembrance to right-wing politics.

what I object to is your sanctimonious righteousness in what you think is right and if someone thinks differently from you then they are automatically wrong

[Nearly Sane]

yeah , whatever 😠

So much for remembrance

[Steve H]

what I object to is your sanctimonious righteousness in what you think is right and if someone thinks differently from you then they are automatically wrong

Well, obviously if someone disagrees with me, I think they're wrong. Why am I sanctimonious? Because I express an opinion?

[Robbie]

You haven't been sanctimonious, what you object to are the frills surrounding remembrance day and the insistence/pressure in some quarters that we mark it personally (by wearing poppy). I get where you're coming from. Regarding the thread title, many attitudes on this subject are mawkish but no way were you saying there should not be remembrance of the war dead, you merely object to the particular way it's pushed.

You said as much here:-

Well, i've worn a white and a red poppy before now, and have lived to tell the tale. I'm all for the two minutes' silence and proper respect; what \I object to is poppy-fascism, mawkishness, and attaching remembrance to right-wing politics.

NS wrote a good post at 1459 today.

There was nothing 'hateful' in your post stevenh, unfortunately not everyone reads posts thoroughly, merely latching on to words and phrases.

For what it's worth, I'm with you.

[Walter]

So much for remembrance

nope. I have no stomach for a fight today old chap ,
Have a nice day 😘

[Nearly Sane]

nope. I have no stomach for a fight today old chap ,
Have a nice day 😘

Yep, take care. Stay well. Any news from Brisbane?

[Anchorman]

If you had fought for your country you might have a very different view.

A big THANK YOU to ALL those who lost their lives in the two world wars and all the conflicts since then.

     



Yet you might not have a different view - it depends.
My grandfather fought at the Somme.
On his demob, he returned home, flung his four medals in the midden, swore that id he ever got near a union jack again, he'd use it as toilet roll, and would not have a poppy in his house till the day he died in 1969.
You cannot treat all veterans the same and lump them into one category.

For the record, as I always do, I wore both the red and white poppy in church and at the warmemorial today...but at the end of the church service, I niether sang nor acknowledged Lizzie's dirge.

[Anchorman]

I'm a pacifist who is friends with a number of war veterans. They are wide varied in their opinions on our current approach to remembrance. They all agree that we need to remember and mourn those murdered in war, just as I do. There isn't a good or bad view on that. It's simplistic to think we cannot disagree on some things yet still come together, indeed if we cannot then it's a betrayal of those who suffered and died.


For a time in the 80s, I only wore the white poppy, then I wore both, now and for sometime I have worn neither, though contributed to both. SteveH is right in that there are undoubtedly some rather mawkish decisions are made about poppies. The idea that everyone on TV has to be seen to be wearing one for what seems to be a growing amount of time. Also there is a lot of dubious unofficial merchandise making political points that I find meritorious such as one metal badge saying 'Try burning this'

I posted this last year just after attending the service in George Square in Glasgow where I embraced one of my best army friends. We disagree on our approach but we both know that our beliefs are founded on the idea of reducing wars and killing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B8wFuZJyMo

I met the author of "green fields of France" (and "The Band played Waltzing Matilda") too many years to be happy about ago.
It was an honour to talk with Eric.

[Nearly Sane]

I met the author of "green fields of France" (and "The Band played Waltzing Matilda") too many years to be happy about ago.
It was an honour to talk with Eric.

SteveH posted his non mawkish thread and having posted The Green Fields here, I thought about The Band Played Waltzing Matilda might suit there. Bogle gets the waste snd the hypocrisy right.